Tesla names Juniper Networks executive first female director

PALO ALTO, Calif. (Bloomberg) -- Tesla Motors Inc. is expanding its board of directors to seven members by adding Juniper Networks Inc.'s Robyn Denholm, who will be the first female director for the fast-growing electric-car maker.

Denholm, who is Juniper's executive vice president and chief financial and operations officer, joins Tesla's board Aug. 11, the Palo Alto, California-based company said today.

She will lead Tesla's audit committee and serve on the compensation committee and another over nominating and corporate governance, the company said.

Tesla is preparing to accelerate production of EVs to a 100,000-unit rate by the end of 2015 and expand sales in China and other global markets.

The company co-founded by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is also preparing to build the world's largest lithium ion battery factory that may cost as much as $5 billion to construct somewhere in the U.S. Southwest.

Denholm takes over board functions previously held by Brad Buss, who is giving up those roles after becoming SolarCity Corp.'s CFO, Tesla said.